


A New Adventure

by quirkoholic



Category: My Time At Portia (Video Game)
Genre: But kept a lot, F/M, Fluff and Smut, I kind of just changed what I wanted, I only have half a plan for this, Not entirely game cannon, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slight AU I guess?, Smut, but I also want there to be a plot, loose plot, so there are still spoilers for the game, so there will be a little angst, that half a plan involves lots of smut, they're going to be dumb in the beginning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:01:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27528079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quirkoholic/pseuds/quirkoholic
Summary: Our builder, Dani, is starting her life over in Portia.This will loosely follow the gameplay and mostly focus on a budding relationship between Dani and Arlo.
Relationships: Arlo/Female Builder (My Time At Portia)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	1. An Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Hi friends!
> 
> I've recently become obsessed with My Time at Portia. It started innocently enough, but the minute my builder met Arlo, I knew I was a goner. It’s only been a few weeks, but I’m fully invested in his character and my builder. They’re already married in my game. I’ve delved into some very good fics involving him already, and got inspired enough to try my own!
> 
> Before we start, I’d like to make a few points. 
> 
> 1\. It’s been a few years since I really became invested in a new fandom and started writing, so I may be a bit rusty. Be gentle with me! I’ve already had to reign in my commas and adverbs. 
> 
> 2\. I’ve pulled some inspiration from some other writers. I try not to “borrow” ideas much, but I’m aiming for similar vibes, so I'd like to credit accordingly. 
> 
> [Who’s Gonna Take You Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22301020/chapters/53264809) by [wordsofourbodies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordofourbodies/pseuds/wordofourbodies)/[littlemisswendla on Tumblr](https://littlemisswendla.tumblr.com/)
> 
> It is still in progress, but I’m very invested. The angst they’ve built up is incredible, and makes very good use of a switching POV. I’ve never done that on my own, but I’d like to try with this series. I’m still mostly going for third person, but not fully omniscient. If you’re interested in this fandom and Arlo, I’d recommend reading it!
> 
> My second inspiration is from a different fandom. The Frozen/Kristanna fandom was kind of the first fandom I got involved with as an adult. I’ve found tons of talented writers and artists who continue to amaze me. One of those writers is [KristannaFever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KristannaFever/works?page=1)
> 
> She wrote a series called [Gnister](https://kristannafever.tumblr.com/post/181233968476/gnister-master-post) that is not on AO3, but can be found on her [Tumblr](https://kristannafever.tumblr.com).
> 
> It’s a beautifully written fic with TONS of quality smut and TONS of quality plot as well. That’s kind of the vibe I’d like to mimic with this. I’m not going for a full on story, but the chapters will loosely flow together. Kind of like drabbles or one shots, but more related to each other.
> 
> 3\. There’s gonna be smut. I love smut. I love writing smut. I love reading smut. I’m a 33 year old adult woman and I don’t have time to censor myself. If you are sensitive to that kind of content, please don’t read. I’m rating this the highest rating just to get my point across. I tend to write fluffy smut, but it is still adult content. 
> 
> I think that’s all. Happy reading! Comments are appreciated!

Dani sighed and looked around the small workshop that was now her home. “Homey,” is what she’d called it when Presley presented it to her, along with a letter from her father. Her father, whom she hadn’t seen in years. She’d known he had a workshop in Portia for a time, but then left in search of a new adventure. He was always doing that. Dani and her mother had been a new adventure at one point, but he’d grown restless and moved on. She’d come to terms with his behavior over the years, though her mother held more animosity about the subject. She’d nearly thrown a fit when Dani told her about the call she’d received from the Commerce Guild in Portia, detailing a deed with her name on it. She’d thrown a full blown tantrum when Dani said she was considering the move.

A week later Dani had packed up her few belongings and convinced her mother that she wasn’t throwing away her life in Barnarock, as it held no real place for her. She’d managed to find the only sailor in town making the long journey to Portia, and he offered to take her. Presley had greeted her at the dock and walked her to her new workshop, explaining what she’d be doing in town and how the Commerce Guild worked. He’d tasked her with building a few things to present the guild for review: An axe, a pickaxe, and a furnace. She had made the tools her first night there from materials scattered around her small yard. The furnace had been more of a challenging build, but she found her father’s old handbook and followed his directions until she had a working machine in front of her.

She now took stock of everything she needed to patch in the workshop, namely several floorboards rotting in place, and perhaps a more comfortable bed. The one her dad left smelled of dust and did very little to support her body. The springs stuck out at odd angles and the metal frame sagged in the middle. Still, it was better than nothing, she supposed. Walking out of the slowly decaying shed, she was met with warm fresh air that she inhaled deeply. It smelled so much better than the city. She opened her gate and walked the short way to the walls surrounding the main part of Portia. The Commerce Guild was just inside the walls, making up part of Peach Plaza. In the center of the plaza stood a fountain topped with a stone statue of Peach, the man who brought an end to the Age of Darkness a hundred years ago.

The plaza was full of townsfolk starting their day, all nodding and waving as Dani passed. She’d been introduced to many of them the day before, but still couldn’t place all of their names. They’d been excited, all smiles and welcomes, even a few who remembered her father. It had all been a bit overwhelming, but she smiled back and shook every hand extended to her. It would take time to settle in and really get to know everyone, but she already had a good feeling about this place. 

She climbed the steps of the Commerce Guild and popped her head inside. Presley was sitting at his desk, already buried in paperwork, while Antoine perked up at the front desk.

“Hey there, new builder! Back already?” Antoine chirped.

“Hi! Yes, I’m back again today,” she laughed and wiped her fringe out of her face. “I’ve finished everything Presley asked me to do.” 

At the sound of his name, Presley’s head stood to attention, as if just noticing she was there. 

“You finished everything? Well that was mighty quick.” He stepped away from his desk to approach her. “Did you bring the items with you?”

“Oh, yes. Well, I brought the two I could carry. I couldn’t fit the furnace in my backpack!” She laughed again while swinging her bag around to retrieve the axe and pickaxe. Presley blinked and removed his spectacles, rubbing them on his suit jacket, before replacing them and taking the tools with a delicate hand. 

“Let’s see here.” He examined each tool, bringing them close to his face and muttering comments to himself. Dani couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, but they sounded positive. At least that’s what she told herself. He caressed the place where the wood handles met the stone, and tested the sharpness of each object with his finger. 

“Yes, yes,” he murmured, before returning his eyes to the new builder, his face exploding into a smile. "These will do just fine!"

"Oh, good!" She said, as Presley handed the tools back to her.

"You can keep them, of course, I just needed to make sure you were capable!" Dani shifted the tools in her arms and struggled to reach her bag hanging from her elbow. "If you follow me next door we can see about getting your Builder's License!"

"Oh, is that all?" Dani asked, but Presley was already walking towards the door. She dumped the tools into the backpack she just managed to open and slung it on her back before scrambling after him.

They descended the short stairs only to climb the stairs to the next building over, Town Hall. She followed Presley through the large doors and stood in front of a simple wooden desk. Sitting behind that desk was a short round man with auburn hair and small, intense eyes. 

"Here she is!" Presley said, "Our newest builder!" 

"Splendid! And so quick too!" The man stood and walked around the desk to Dani and extended his hand.

"The name's Gale! I'm the mayor of this lovely town! You must be Danica! I've heard good things about you!"

"Oh, thank you Mister Mayor. Just Dani is fine though," She shook his hand and wondered what kinds of things he'd heard about her already.

"Ah, your father never mentioned the nickname. And please! Call me Gale!" He nearly shouted every sentence he’d said so far, and had a smile large enough to match. Dani smiled and nodded down at the cheery man. Her father. That would be it then. Gale walked back around his desk and sat down. "Well let's not waste any time! Let's get you a license!" Dani looked between the mayor and Presley, who beamed next to her. This was all going much better than she could have hoped. Dare she think it was a little too easy.

Just then the doors to Town Hall burst open and slammed against each wall. Dani let out a yelp and spun around at the commotion. Standing in front of her was the tallest man she'd ever seen. Faded black jeans were tucked into heavy looking work boots. A satchel was strapped to his belt with several other straps securing it around his leg. He sported a white and yellow leather jacket with even more straps fastened around his chest, and a blue bandana with the words 'The Flying Pigs' around his neck. His eyes were a beautiful shade of blue that contrasted nicely with his fair skin. Flaming red hair stuck up all around his head but fell gently above his left eye. A small patch of red also adorned his chin. His lips were thin and situated in a straight line. He crossed his arms and looked around the room before settling his eyes on Dani, who was having a hard time keeping her mouth closed.

“Yo there, you must be the new Builder in town. I heard you were here today." His lips quirked up the slightest bit. 

How did people keep hearing things about her? She’d only been here for three days! She shook her head and tried to focus. He looked at her expectantly, but she found herself unable to speak. She settled for a nod instead. 

"I'm Arlo," he continued, "The leader of the Civil Corps in town. I've only got one rule; no funny business. Then, everyone can be happy. Easy enough, yeah?” he ended his speech by extending his hand toward the builder. 

Her mouth was fully hanging open now, getting lost in the timber of his voice. His accent was different from the others she'd heard around town. Close to her own, but less posh. Others spoke in plain neutral tones, pronouncing every syllable. This man lilted the end of certain words in a delightful way. She looked down at his hand, covered in fingerless gloves. A very large hand, that she imagined was calloused from honest work. The Civil Corps, did he say? She guessed some kind of military. That made sense. They were part of the Free Cities that formed after the war. She sensed him shift as he still held his hand out toward her. Oh. Shoot.

"Right. Sorry." She apologized and took his hand. A warm hand with rough fingertips that felt perfect against her skin. She cleared her throat and tried to squash the fluttering in her stomach. "My name's Dani."

"Nice to meet you, Dani. Let me know if you run into any trouble. The Civil Corps will do its best to make it go away." He held onto her hand and squeezed gently, followed by a wink. 

"Hnggg," a high-pitched whine escaped her lips as the butterflies in her stomach exploded. She snapped her mouth shut after the offending noise and attempted to smile. Peach, what was happening to her?

Arlo quirked an eyebrow at the sound, but widened his smile before letting go of her hand. She found herself missing the contact immediately.

“I’ll be off on my rounds now. Portia won’t protect itself.” He nodded toward the other two men in the room. “Mayor Gale. Presley.” before lowering his head and softening his gaze. “Dani.” 

Dani let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as the others said goodbye. She watched him exit the building before turning around one last time and locking eyes with her. She gave a small wave before his lips quirked up again. Then he was gone.

“Does...does he always enter buildings that way?” Dani asked, turning back toward the room. Presley gave a thoughtful noise. 

“Not always. I suppose he wanted to make a strong impression.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Right. Well, he certainly did that.” Dani said, mostly to herself. Gale handed her a small packet of paper that he prompted her to fill out.


	2. A Sturdy Foundation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Member when I said there'd be smut?

Arlo wiped his brow before returning to his hands and knees on the floor. He grabbed a light and stuck his head underneath the bed frame, “looking for weak spots,” he’d said. His ass was fully in the air now and Dani couldn’t help but admire the state he was in. He wiggled as he grabbed the wrench sitting next to him on the floor and flipped his body over so he was on his back. He let out a low grunt that shot straight through her core. He had no idea what he was doing to her. After a few more minutes of tightening nuts and twisting bolts, Arlo slid himself from under the bed and revealed his full body to a red-faced builder. She offered him a glass of rainbow lemonade, which he took with a dazzling smile. 

“How’s everything look?” She asked. 

“Nice and firm.” he stated. “Everything should be tight. It’ll take a lot of action to break this bad boy down.” Dani choked on her lemonade and coughed into her glass. 

“Right. Well, thank you for helping. I had every intention of putting it together myself.” She lowered her the glass and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

“Always a pleasure.” he said. “I know you’re perfectly capable. You’re turning out to be our best builder after all. I just...like to help.” he ended softly.

“Thank you,” she nodded and offered a smile of her own in return. 

Arlo’s eyes shifted as he stretched his elbow back on the mattress and cleared his throat. 

“Is there...anything else I can do to help?” The tone of his voice lowered and sent a small shiver down Dani’s spine. She paused.

“Like what?” 

“We could test how sturdy this frame is, for instance.” he patted the mattress a few times.

“What?” She choked again. She’d have to stop drinking around him if he kept throwing things at her like this. He stood up and pulled his jacket away from his body a few times to fan himself.

“Do you mind if I take this off, it’s pretty hot in here.” he began unbuttoning his jacket without waiting for an answer. What was he doing? Did he know what he was doing?

“...No. Not at all.” she stammered. 

He continued to unbutton his jacket revealing a thin black t-shirt underneath that clung nicely to his slim and fit body. He fully removed his jacket and threw it on a chair she had sitting by her newly built bed. The bed he helped put together. He never took his eyes off of hers.

“You look a little hot yourself.” He walked over and caressed the side of her face with his hand. She whimpered as he let his hand fall to her collar bone. “You may want to cool down a little yourself.” He stuck his forefinger underneath the strap of her tank top and gently snapped it against her shoulder. Maybe he did know what he was doing to her? What in Peach’s name had gotten into him?

“Um..” She kept her eyes locked with his and his hand continued to wonder down her arm, softly and slowly. He reached her elbow before flicking his eyes down to her lips and back to hold her gaze. Dani exhaled hard as she felt both of Arlo’s hands softly wrap around her waist. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as Arlo’s nose gently nuzzled into her temple. He let go of a breath softly next to her ear and she felt herself melt into his chest. He pulled back gently and removed his hands from her body only to plunge them into her hair. He tugged softly to lift her face to him. Her eyes fluttered open to see his beautiful darkened eyes, full of lust. He continued moving his fingers through the ends of her long hair and back down to her waist. 

She felt his hands tighten around her again as the floor below her feet fell away. In a swift motion, Her head moved over his and around to his back as she came to face the ass she had been admiring before. Arlo had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder, like she weighed nothing. She yelped before exploding into giggles. He flung her around and tossed her on the bed before pouncing and landing on top of her. 

“See? Quite sturdy,” he whispered before kissing her neck with a gusto she’d never felt before. She squirmed needily beneath him as his lips moved lower and his hands moved underneath clothing. He focused his calluses on her bare stomach as Dani arched her back and grabbed any part of him she could reach. She settled on tugging on his thick bright hair as he moaned into her skin. She felt his fingers move to the top of her shorts and made quick movements to unbutton them. He dug his hands below the material and grabbed as much of her ass as he could. She cried out and tugged his hair harder. He grabbed the material of both her shorts and underwear and shoved them down her legs. She writhed in order to assist him in removing the offending layers before really realizing that her bottom half was completely exposed to him now. 

He let out a low growl before flicking his eyes to hers once more. She stilled and watched as he drank her body in and ducked his head down to begin kissing her stomach. She closed her eyes and returned her hands to massage his scalp, tugging and moaning when he did something that felt particularly good. His mouth moved slowly to her center as he wrapped his hands around the back of her hips and held her close. He placed a few swift kisses to her short curls before pulling his mouth flush to her folds and plunging his tongue into her as far as it would go.

Dani gasped and her eyes flew open. They adjusted to the light of morning sun shining through the small window in her empty workshop. She felt a dampness on her forehead. Her pulse slowed as she tried to catch her breath and take in the reality of her surroundings. She was alone. In her new bed. That Arlo helped her put together the day before. Before he left to return to his own room at the Civil Corps.

It had been about a month since she’d settled into Portia. She’d started working on commissions from the Commerce Guild as soon as she got her license. The townsfolk had continued to welcome her with open arms, especially since they now had a builder willing to take on “smaller” commissions. She didn’t find them to be too small though, and had gladly fulfilled every commission that had been sitting unanswered for months. She loved being able to help the people in town and she grew closer to them each day. 

Her neighbor, Emily, frequently had problems with her chickens running off to greet Dani at her workshop. It had become such a normal occurrence that Emily stopped rushing after them and Dani just opened the gate and let them chirp around her yard until Emily walked over with a basket of eggs and a cage to bring them back home. 

Django, the owner and Brewmaster of The Round Table, had taken to Dani quickly as well. Since her humble abode had no working kitchen yet, she visited often and Django soon offered her unique recipes and lessons in swordfighting. Many of the townsfolk ended their days at The Round Table, swapping stories and sharing drinks with her. She’d grown particularly close to the members of the Civil Corps, who’d come to her defense when the head builder in town, Higgins, started giving her trouble. He had sworn himself to be her nemesis the moment he laid eyes on her, and had gone as far as accusing her of stealing his tools and his metal bars, all of which he kept outside his workshop in Central Plaza for the whole town to see. None of which had seen her anywhere near his workshop and attested to this when he took to shouting accusations every time he passed her in town. 

Sam and Remington made up the rest of the Civil Corps. Sam was a little taller than Dani, with short blonde hair and a habit of sparing with anyone in town who gave her lip. Remington was much taller with fluffy green tendrils atop his head and a deep stern voice that he used to his advantage. When he wasn’t trying to intimidate, his demeanor changed entirely. Dani had quickly learned how kind he could be, and what a soft spot he had for animals. Particularly his horse, Arrow. And of course there was Arlo. 

Arlo had continued to pop up around town and fluster her. She wasn’t sure if he did it on purpose, but she’d never met anyone who affected her quite the same way. She viewed most men as a distraction, but he was becoming a welcome one in her new life. He didn’t seem to mind her stumbling over her words the first few times he’d surprised her by running up to her and starting a conversation. She was used to it by now and her voice had evened out, but her pulse always quickened when she saw him coming. He was always quick to offer assistance with anything she was carrying or in the middle of building while he was around, which is how he’d ended up pulling her wagon full disassembled bed-parts across town and insisted on helping her put it together. It was his job to be helpful, she supposed, but he somehow knew exactly when and where to show up and exactly how to insert himself into whatever she was doing. 

Now he’d managed to insert himself into her subconscious. She hoped that wouldn’t become a habit.


	3. Not a real update

I didn't want to be that person that posts two chapters and then disappears forever, but sometimes life happens.

I've been working on some more chapters slowly, but I got diagnosed with breast cancer and I just had major surgery, so that has been my main focus of late.

I'm not planning on giving up, but I have no idea when this will be updated again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll delete this when I have some actual work done


End file.
